1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an index print producing method, an image processing system, an image processing device and an image processing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of producing an index print in which a plurality of images are disposed in a predetermined layout; an image processing system in which the index print producing method can be used; an image processing method and an image processing device which are capable of correcting aberrations when an image recorded on a photosensitive material is image processed; an image processing device having functions of image processing image data such that the outer peripheral shape of an image represented by the image data is changed and extracting data corresponding to an instructed range from the image data; an image processing method for correcting at least one of a geometrical distortion or a color misregistration of an image of image data representing an image projected through a lens; and an image processing device to which the image processing method can be applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a photographic film having a plurality of images recorded thereon has been developed by exposure-recording the plurality of images onto photographic paper in such a way that the images are arranged in a matrix configuration on a single sheet, thereby creating what is known as an index print (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 9-90528 and the like). By referring to the index print, a user is able, with one glance, to confirm the images recorded on the photographic film. Therefore, the user is able to easily specify images which the user wishes to be reprinted and to organize the photographic films.
On the other hand, an image processing system is known which subjects, to a variety of image processings, image data obtained by reading film images recorded on a photographic film or image data input from a digital camera or the like. After the various image processings have been completed, the images are recorded on a recording material, such as photographic paper, displayed on a display means, such as a display unit, or the image data is stored on an information recording medium. Thus, the image processing system is able to output the image (a main image) in a variety of forms. As compared with the conventional photograph processing system for recording a film image on photographic paper by a single exposure of the surface of the photographic paper, the above-described image processing system is able to arbitrarily control the quality of a recorded image by processing image data of the image. Therefore, the quality of a main image (an image recorded on a recording material, an image displayed on a display means or an image indicated by image data stored in an information recording medium) can be improved.
The above image processing system is able to employ a plurality of standard image processings for improving the quality of the main image. The standard image processings include gradation conversion, color conversion, a hyper-tone processing for compressing the gradation of extremely low frequency luminance components in an image and a hyper-sharpness processing for emphasizing sharpness while suppressing graininess are selectively performed on each image unit(or a film unit) Non-standard image processings include: an image processing for improving the quality of a main image when an image recorded by photography using a film with an attached lens is used as the original image (for example, processings to correct distortions in the original image caused by distortion aberrations in the lens and processings to correct color misregistration with the original image caused by color aberrations from the lens magnification); an image processing to intentionally change the image tone (for example, image processings to give a monotone completed image from a main image, a portrait tone completed image from a main image, and a sepia tone completed image from a main image); and an image processing to process an image (for example, an image processing to slenderize in the main image a person appearing in the original image) These non-standard image processings are selected to be automatically executed or selectively executed in accordance with an instruction issued from a user.
The above-described image processing system is structured so that the data of an original image is temporarily stored in a memory, the data of the original image is then read from the memory, and the read data of the original image is then subjected to an image processing in accordance with the contents (whether or not each type of image data processing is executed and the processing conditions of executed image data processings) of the processing previously determined on the basis of the results of analysis of the contents of the image. Thus, image data of the main image is output as data. Therefore, when an index print is produced, the data of a plurality of original images to be recorded as the index print are disposed in the memory in accordance with a predetermined layout. Thus, image data for producing the index print is produced. Then, the image data is read from the memory and subjected to image processing having a fixed content. Image data subjected to the image processing is used to expose and record the index print image on a recording material. Thus, the index print can be produced.
As described above, the aforementioned image processing system produces an index print by subjecting the data of a plurality of original images to image processing having a fixed content. Therefore, images which are recorded as the index print usually contain a multiplicity of images in finished states considerably different from the finished state of the main image (for example, images subjected to additional non-standard image processing when the main image is output). The reason for this lies in the fact that image processing is performed having a content which is considerably different from the content of the image processings which are performed to output the main image.
When output is performed such that, for example, a main image is recorded on a recording material or a main image is displayed on a display means, referring to each image on the index print does not always enable the finished state of the main image corresponding to each image to be recognized. Therefore, it is not always possible to ascertain which of the plurality of main images output from the image processing system corresponds to a particular image on the index print. When output is performed by storing the image data on an information recording medium, the main image represented by the image data stored on the information recording medium cannot visually be recognized. Therefore, the service of producing and making available the index print is an advantageous service which enables the main image to be confirmed. However, since the finished state of each image on the index print is sometimes considerably different from the finished state of the main image, there is a fear that the finished state of the main image represented by the image data stored on the information recording medium will be incorrectly recognized.
A conventional image processing device is known which obtains digital image data of a film image by using a sensor, such as a CCD, to read the film image recorded on a photographic film and then prints and exposes the image on photographic paper in accordance with the obtained digital image data.
In recent years, this type of image processing device has enabled stable print quality by subjecting obtained image data to a variety of correction processings. For example, chromatic aberration of magnification (the position of a pixel is different for each R, G, B color) and distortion aberration (the image is distorted) which easily occur when a low-cost camera, such as a film with an attached lens or a compact camera, is used to take a photograph can be corrected.
However, when the above-mentioned aberration correction is performed, the following problem arises: when, for example, distortion aberration correction is performed, an image such as that shown in FIG. 11A becomes what is known as a pincushion distorted image as shown in FIG. 11B. In this case, regions having no image indicated by the diagonal lines in the figure, that is, what are known as image voids occur. Therefore, a satisfactory printed image cannot be obtained. Because of this, the rectangular region 306 (marked by the dotted lines in FIGS. 11B and 11C) containing no image void regions is enlarged to the desired print size so that a printed image with no image voids is obtained. However, if the face of a person is positioned at an edge of the image as shown in FIG. 11B, a portion of the face is, cut out on the printed image even though the face was photographed in its entirety.
A conventional image processing system is known in which image data obtained by reading a film image recorded on a photographic film or image data input from a digital camera is subjected to a variety of image processings. The image is then recorded on a recording material, such as photographic paper, or the image data is stored on an information recording medium. Thus, output of the image can be performed in a variety of forms. As compared with the conventional photograph processing system for recording a film image on photographic paper by a single exposure of the surface of the photographic paper, the above image processing system is able to freely control the image quality of the output image by performing image processing on the image data, allowing the quality of the output image can be improved.
If image output is again requested, the above image processing system is able to perform a processing known as cropping in which image data in an arbitrary range (a range instructed by the user) is extracted; an image in the instructed range is enlarged and recorded (the cropping range) using image data subjected to an enlarging by electronic power variation; and image data is stored in an information recording medium. Note that when the cropping processing is carried out, the original image which is to be cropped is displayed on a display unit and the cropping range is instructed by the user who indicates on the surface of a display unit the positions of the edge of the range to be cropped, thus allowing the cropping range to be recognized on the basis of the indicated edge positions.
Since a film with an attached lens usually incorporates a low-cost plastic lens, aberration, such as distortion aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification, is great. A film image exposed and recorded on a photographic film using a film with an attached lens undergoes relatively considerable geometrical distortion aberration (called xe2x80x9cpincushion distortion aberrationxe2x80x9d) as shown in FIG. 16A (note that FIGS. 16A and 16B show an example in which an image having a multiplicity of lines disposed in a lattice configuration has been photographed and recorded on a photographic film using a film with attached lens). Moreover, relatively considerable color misregistration caused by chromatic aberration of magnification of the lens takes place. Therefore, an attempt has been considered to obtain an output image having excellent quality from the image of the above type by performing distortion aberration correction to correct geometrical distortion aberration of an image caused by distortion aberration of the lens. Moreover, an attempt has been considered to correct chromatic aberration of magnification such that color misregistration of an image caused by chromatic aberration of magnification of the lens is corrected.
For example, distortion aberration correction is performed by measuring and storing in advance data for each type of lens for correcting distortion aberration indicating the direction and distance moved by the position of each pixel caused by the distortion aberration of the lens with respect to an original reference position (a lattice point) of each pixel constituting a film image. Then, data for correcting the distortion aberration for the type of lens used in the photographing operation is fetched for the image data to be processed. On the basis of the fetched data for correcting the distortion aberration, the position of each pixel represented by the data of each pixel when no distortion aberration occurs is determined. Thus, the density value at the original position (the lattice position) is obtained by performing interpolation calculation.
However, since the image data is data having a large data quantity and representing an image spreading two-dimensionally, the contents of the processings to correct aberration, such as distortion aberration correction and correction of chromatic aberration of magnification are complicated. Therefore, a long time is required to complete the processing and a storage means having a large capacity must be provided. As a result, there arises a problem in that the structure of an image processing section for performing the processing for correcting aberration becomes too complicated. What is worse, the processing performance of the image processing system deteriorates.
For example, distortion aberration correction is performed by measuring and storing in advance data for each type of lens for correcting distortion aberration indicating the direction and distance moved by the position of each pixel caused by the distortion aberration of the lens with respect to an original reference position (a lattice point) of each pixel constituting a film image. Then, data for correcting the distortion aberration for the type of lens used in the photographing operation is fetched for the image data to be processed. On the basis of the fetched data for correcting the distortion aberration, the position of each pixel represented by the data of each pixel when no distortion aberration occurs is determined. Thus, the density value at the original position (the lattice position) is obtained by performing interpolation calculation. Among the above processings, the interpolation calculation of the density value at a lattice point position requires that the density values at the lattice point position be estimated for each of the two-dimensionally distributed plurality of lattice points from the density values of the plurality of pixels existing around the lattice point (the pixels in a region two-dimensionally spreading from the lattice point). Therefore, the processing is extremely complicated.
Because the distortion aberration correction is correction which goes together with the movement of the positions of pixels represented by pre-corrected image data, the shape of the image represented by the corrected image data is also changed from a rectangular shape to a non-rectangular shape (for example, to a barrel shape or a pincushion shape) by the aberration correction. If an image in a pincushion shape and having geometrical distortion aberration as shown in FIG. 16A due to distortion aberration is subjected to distortion aberration correction, the shape of the image represented by the corrected image data is formed into a barrel shape as shown in FIG. 16B. Since the outline of an image usually has a rectangular shape, the cropping range is formed into a rectangular shape to match the shape of the image. Therefore, when an instruction is given to execute cropping of an image which is to undergo distortion aberration correction with the image, represented by image data not having undergone distortion compensation correction, displayed on a display unit, then, on the basis of the displayed image, if a range including areas outside the outline of an image represented by corrected image data is indicated as the range to be cropped, blank areas and areas where the density values are uncertain occur in portions of the cropped image (the blank areas, known as image voids, shown in the four corners of the image in FIG. 16B). Moreover, since the correction of chromatic aberration of magnification is also a correction accompanying a movement of the positions of pixels, in spite of the distance moved being very small, a equivalent problem arises.
To prevent the above problem, specification of the range to be cropped is required to be performed as follows: a user recognizes whether or not the specified image is an image to be subjected to aberration correction. If the specified image is an image to be subjected to the aberration correction, the user must determine the range in the original image which is able to be cropped. Therefore, a complicated operation for specifying the range to be cropped is required. In addition, the user cannot specify an appropriate range to be cropped, and as a result, there is the concern that blank areas or images having uncertain density values will be formed in portions of the cropped image.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an index print producing method and an image processing system in which an index print can be produced which has a plurality of images disposed in a predetermined layout such that the finished state of the main image of each image can easily be recognized.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and an image processing device with which an image can be printed with no portions of the main object missing even if the, such as the face of a person, exists adjacent to an edge of the image when aberrations of the image read from a photographic film are corrected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device which is capable of specifying with ease an appropriate extraction range when a portion is extracted and output from an image which is undergoing the image processing which accompanies a change in the shape of the outline of the image.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method which is capable of rapidly correcting distortion aberration or chromatic aberration of magnification of image data and preventing image voids from occurring in an output image.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device which is capable of rapidly performing correction of distortion aberration or chromatic aberration of magnification of image data by a simple structure and preventing image voids occurring in an output image.
To achieve the above objects, a first aspect of the present invention is an index print producing method used for an image processing system in which: the processing content of image processing of original image data of each original image of a plurality of original images is determined and the image processing is performed; and the image data which has undergone the image processing is used to perform a main image output processing comprising at least one of recording the image on a recording material, displaying the image on a display means, and storing the image data on an information recording medium, wherein said index print producing method comprises the steps of: a first image processing equivalent to the image processing performed at the time of the output of the main image is performed on the original image data of the plurality of original images or a second image processing is performed to append information representing the processing contents of the image processing performed at the time of the output of the main image to the original image data of the plurality of original images, the image data of the plurality of original images having undergone the first or second image processing is disposed in a predetermined layout, and recording of the images on an image recording material is performed using the image data disposed in the predetermined layout to create an index print.
The index print producing method according to the first aspect of the present invention subjects original image data of a plurality of original images to a first image processing equivalent to the image processing when the main image is output. As an alternative to this, a second image processing for adding information (for example, information indicating the contents of the processing by characters or a picture) indicating the contents of the image processings which are performed when the main image is output is performed. Data of the original image according to the present invention may be image data obtained by reading an image recorded on a recording medium, such as a photographic film. As an alternative to this, data of the original image may be image data recorded on an information recording medium as a result of photography using a digital camera or image data produced by a computer. The image data of the plurality of original images subjected to the first image processor the second image processing are then disposed in a predetermined layout, and the, image data disposed in the predetermined layout is used to record the image on a recording material to produce an index print.
When the original image data of a plurality of original images is subjected to the first image processing, each completed image on the index print is substantially the same as the corresponding completed main image among the main images (images recorded on a recording material, images displayed on a display means or images indicated by image data stored on an information recording medium) output in the main-image output processing. Therefore, each completed main image can easily visually be recognized. When original image data of the plurality of original images has been subjected to the second image processing, each completed image on the index print does not necessarily coincide with the completed main image. However, by referring to the information added in the second image processing the contents of the image processings which are performed when the main image is output may be easily be recognized. As a result, the completed main image can easily be ascertained.
Therefore, the index print producing method according to the first aspect of the present invention enables an index print having a plurality of images disposed in a predetermined layout to be produced in such a way that the completed main image of each of the images can easily be recognized. Namely, by referring to each image on the index print, it can be easily ascertained which of the plurality of main images output from the image processing system corresponds to which image on the index print.
The image processing performed when the main image is output may include any one of the following processings: gradation conversion, color conversion, enlargement/contraction of the main image, a hyper-tone processing for compressing the gradation of extremely low frequency illuminance components of the main image, a hyper-sharpness processing for emphasizing the sharpness while suppressing graininess, an image processing for correcting color misregistration of the original image caused by chromatic aberration of magnification, an image processing for correcting distortion of the original image caused by the distortion aberration, an image processing for putting a monotone finish on the main image, an image processing for putting a portrait finish on the main image, an image processing for putting a sepia finish on the main image, an image processing using a cross filter to change the tone of the main image to the tone equivalent to that of the photographed image, an image processing for modifying red-eye and an image processing to slenderize the body of a person appearing in the original image in the final image.
A second aspect of the present invention is an index print producing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein, when said second image processing is performed on original image data in the production of an index print, only an image processing equivalent to a standard image processing from among the image processings when said main image is output is performed on said original image data for each image, and information indicating non-standard image processings separate from said standard image processings performed when said main image is output is appended to said original image data.
A standard image processing may be employed in the index print producing method according to the second aspect of the present invention (for example, gradation conversion, color conversion, enlargement/contraction of the main image, a hyper-tone processing for compressing the gradation of extremely low frequency luminance components of the main image, or a hyper-sharpness processing for emphasizing the sharpness while suppressing graininess). These image processings are commonly performed on all (or almost all) data of the original image.
In the index print producing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, when a second image processing is performed on the original image data of a plurality of original images in the production of the index print, only an image processing equivalent to a standard image processing from among the image processings when the main image is output is performed on the original image data for each image, and information indicating non-standard image processings separate from the above standard image processings performed when the main image is output is appended to the original image data. Therefore, by referring to the information for a specific image appended to the index print, the contents of the image processings at the time the main image was output can be easily ascertained and the completed main image can be easily recognized. Moreover, by referring to a specific image on the index print, a completed main image produced when image processings other than standard image processings were not performed can be easily recognized, and when the output of a specific image is instructed again, the user can easily choose whether or not to perform an image processing other than a specific image processing.
A third aspect of the present invention is an index print producing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein, when the second image processing is performed on the original image data in the production of an index print, if an original image has portions cut out from the main image by the image processing when the main image is output, then a frame indicating the portions cut out from the main image is superimposed and recorded on the image on an index print corresponding to the original image or the completing of the cut out portion on the image on the index print is changed.
When an image processing for correcting distortion of a particular original image caused by distortion aberration of the lens of a camera or the like is performed as an image processing which is performed when a main image is output, a portion of the particular original image is cut out from the main image and is not used as the main image. However, in a case where the second image processing of data of the original image is performed when the index print is produced, an image processing equivalent to the image processing for correcting the distortion of the original image caused by the distortion aberration must be performed. If this image processing is not performed, then the image recording range corresponding to the particular original image on the index print will not match the range which is used as the main image on the particular original image (matches instead the overall range of the particular original image).
In contrast to this, the index print producing method according to the third aspect of the present invention has a structure that when the second image processing of data of the original image is performed in a case of producing an index print, a frame (a frame indicating the outline of the range which is used as the main image) indicating a portion which is cut out from the main image is superposed and recorded on the image of the index print corresponding to the original image in which the portion is cut out from the main image by an the image processing which is performed when the main image is output or finishing of the portion which is cut out and which is positioned on the image of the index print is changed (for example, the portion cut out from the main image may be formed into a monotone image, the saturation and lightness may be lowered or the resolution may be considerably lowered). If an image having a portion which is cut out from the main image by an image processing which is performed when the main image is output exists, by referring to the index print the portion which is cut out from the main image may easily be recognized.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is an index print producing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein, when an index print is produced, a selection is made as to whether a first image processor a second image processing will be performed on the original image data of a plurality of original images, and either the first image processor second image processing is performed on the original image data of the plurality of original images on the basis of the results of the selection.
As described above, the index print produced by performing the first image processing onto data of the original image and the index print produced by performing the second image processing on the data of the original image have different characteristics. The index print producing method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention has the structure that a selection is made as to which to the first image processor the second image processing will the data of the plurality of original images be subjected, and the data of the plurality of original images is subjected to the first image processor the second image processing in accordance with the results of the selection to produce an index print. Therefore, either of the two types of index print can selectively be produced to meet requirements of the user.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is an image processing system in which, the processing content of image processing of original image data of each original image of a plurality of original images is determined and the image processing is performed; and the image data which has undergone the image processing is used to perform a main image output processing comprising at least one of recording the image on a recording material, displaying the image on a display means, and storing the image data on an information recording medium, wherein said image processing system comprises: processing means for performing a first image processing equivalent to the image processing when said main image is output or a second image processing for appending information indicating the processing content of the image processing when said main image is output on the original image data of said plurality of original images; disposing means for disposing the data of each image of the plurality of original images which have undergone either said first image processor said second image processing in a predetermined layout; and producing means for recording an image on a recording material using image data disposed in said predetermined layout to produce an index print.
The image processing system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention comprises processing means for performing a first image processing of the data of the plurality of original images equivalent to the image processing which is performed when the main image is output or a second image processing for appending information indicating the content of the image processings which are performed when the main image is output; disposing means for disposing the image data of the plurality of original images subjected to the first image processor the second image processing in a predetermined layout; and producing means for producing an index print by using the image data disposed in the predetermined layout to record an image on a recording material. Therefore, in the same way as the first aspect of the present invention, an index print having a plurality of images disposed in a predetermined layout can be produced such that the completed main image of each image can easily be recognized.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is an image processing method comprising the steps of: reading information on the characteristics of a photographic lens and an image recorded on a photographic photosensitive material; extracting a main object from said read image; reading aberration correction information corresponding to the information on the characteristics of said photographic lens; determining whether or not said main object will be positioned in the image void region when an image aberration correction is performed on the basis of information on the position of the extracted said main object and said aberration correction information; and performing said aberration correction if it is determined that said main object will not be positioned in the image void region.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is an image processing method, wherein, said aberration correction is not performed if it is determined that said main object will be positioned in the image void region.
A eighth aspect of the present invention is an image processing method, wherein, if it is determined that said main object will be positioned in the image void region, said aberration correction is performed to the extent that said main object is not positioned in the image void region.
The image processing method according to the sixth aspect of the present invention has the steps of reading information on the characteristics of a photographic lens and an image recorded on a photographic photosensitive material; and extracting a main object, for example, the face portion of a person, from the read image. Information about the characteristics of the photographing lens may include information on the type of photographic lens, a lens aberration correction formula for correcting aberrations in the read image (described later in detail) the correction coefficient for the aberration correction formula, information on the type of camera, and the like. Information about the characteristics of the photographic lens may be optically recorded in advance (e.g. by a bar code or the like) or magnetically (e.g. at the time of manufacture) outside the image recording region on the photographic photosensitive material, or the information above may be recorded from the camera. Subsequently, the aberration correction information corresponding to the read information on the characteristics of the photographic lens is read. The face may be extracted by any one of a variety of known methods. For example, the face portion of a person can be extracted by obtaining the outline thereof by measuring edge intensities of 8 pixels surrounding each pixel. In accordance with the position information of the main object thus-obtained and the aberration correction information, a determination is made whether or not the main object will be positioned in an image void region if the aberration correction is performed. If a determination is made that the main object will not be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is performed. If a determination is made that the main object will be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is not performed according to the image processing method according to the seventh aspect of the present invention. As a result, image voids in the face portion of a person in the printed image can be prevented.
The image processing method according to the eighth aspect of the present invention may be employed, in which aberration correction is performed to the extent that the main object does not become positioned in the image void region. As a result, the distortion of the image can be moderately corrected and the face of a person can be included in the printing range.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is an image processing method, wherein the determination whether or not to perform said aberration correction is made on the basis of order information from a customer.
When the image processing method according to the ninth aspect of the present invention is employed, order information, such as whether precedence should be given to aberration correction, or whether precedence should be given to containing the main object inside the printing range can be given, and a determination as to whether or not to perform aberration correction made on the basis of this order information. As a result, a printing processing which meets the requirements of the user can be performed.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is an image processing device comprising: photographic lens characteristics information reading means for reading the information on the characteristics of a photographic lens; image reading means for reading an image recorded on a photographic photosensitive material; extraction means for extracting the main object from the read image using said image reading means; storage means for storing in advance aberration correction information corresponding to said photographic lens characteristics information; aberration correction information reading means for reading said aberration correction information from said storage means; and determining means for determining whether or not said main object will be positioned in the image void region if an image aberration correction is performed, on the basis of information on the position of said main object extracted by the extracting means and said aberration correction information.
A eleventh aspect of the present invention is an image processing device, wherein, if it is determined by the determining means that the main object will be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is not performed.
A twelfth aspect of the present invention is an image processing device, wherein, if it is determined by the determining means that the main object will be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is performed to the extent that the main object is not positioned in the image void region.
The image processing device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention causes the means for reading the information of the characteristics of the photographic lens to read the information of the characteristics of the photographic lens. Moreover, the image reading means reads the image recorded on the photographic photosensitive material. Information about the characteristics of the photographic lens includes, for example, the information of the type of photographic lens, a lens-aberration correction formula for correcting aberrations in the read image (described below in detail), the correction coefficient for the aberration correction formula, information on the type of camera, and the like. Information about the characteristics of the photographic lens may be optically recorded in advance (e.g. by a bar code or the like) or a magnetically (e.g. at the time of manufacture) outside the image recording region on the photographic photosensitive material, or the information may be recorded from the camera. The main object of the read image, for example, the face portion of a person, is extracted by the extracting means. Information about the aberration correction corresponding to the read information on the characteristics of the photographic lens is read from the storage means by the means for reading the aberration correction information. In accordance with the extracted position information of the main object and the aberration correction information, whether or not the main object will be positioned in the image void region if the aberration correction is performed is determined by the determining means. If a determination is made that the main object will not be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is performed. If the main object will be positioned in the image void region, then, for example, the aberration correction is not performed with the image processing device according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention. As a result, image voids in the face portion of a person in the printed image can be prevented.
If a determination is made by the determining means of the image processing device according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention that the main object will be positioned in the image void region, the aberration correction is performed to an extent that the face of the person is not positioned in the image void region in the image processing device according to the twelfth aspect of the present invention. As a result, the distortion of the image can be moderately corrected and the face of the person can be included in the printing range.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a image processing device, wherein the determination whether or not to perform the aberration correction is made on the basis of order information from a customer.
The image processing device according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention has the structure that whether priority is given to performing the aberration correction or to including the main object in the printing range can be specified as the order information. In accordance with the order information, whether or not the aberration correction is performed is determined. As a result, a printing processing which meets the requirements of a user can be performed.
A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is an image processing device comprising: processing means for performing an image processing on image data in accordance with changes in the shape of the outline of an image represented by the image data; display means for displaying an image; instructing means for instructing a range cut from an image on the basis of an image displayed on the display means; cutting means for cutting data corresponding to the range indicated by the instructing means from the image data; and display control means for controlling so that a range of an image represented by the image data which excludes the range where an image cannot be cut created by an image processing using the processing means is displayed on the display means, or an image represented by the image data which is divided into regions where the image can be cut and regions where the image cannot be cut is displayed on the display means.
The image processing device according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention comprises the specifying means for specifying the range to be cut from the image in accordance with the image displayed on the display means for displaying the image. The specifying means may be, for example, a pointing device, such as a mouse or a digitizer. The cutting means cuts, from image data, data corresponding to the range specified by a user via the specifying means. The processing for cutting data from image data is performed when, for example, cropping is performed in which a portion is cut from the image and output. The cutting range is specified by, for example, specifying positions on the display screen of the display means corresponding to positions of the outline (when the cutting range is in the form of a rectangular shape, the positions are the four corner points of the cutting range). In the above case, the cutting means determines the positions (the positions along the outline of the cutting range) on the image from the positions specified on the display screen, and then cuts data corresponding to the cutting range.
The image processing device according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention comprises the processing means which performs an image processing including a change in the outline of the image represented by the image data. The above image processing may be an image processing in which the difference between image data before and after the processing causes the positions of pixels on the image to be changed. For example, the image processing device according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention is arranged to perform a distortion aberration correction processing for correcting geometrical distortion aberration of the image caused by the distortion aberration of the lens or a processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification for correcting color misregistration caused by the chromatic aberration of magnification when image data indicates an image projected through the lens. The above image processing may be a correction processing for correcting geometrical distortion aberration of an image caused by a factor other than the aberration of the lens. The above image processing should be an image processing in accordance with a change (specifically, a change to a non-equivalent shape) in the outline of the image.
When the image processing in accordance with a change in the outline of the image represented by image data is performed as described above, there is a possibility that a range which includes a range outside the outline of the image represented by the image data, which has been image-processed, will be specified as the cutting range, based on the image displayed on the display means. On the other hand, the display control means of the image processing device according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention controls so that a range of an image represented by the image data which excludes the range where an image cannot be cut created by an image processing using the processing means is displayed on the display means, or an image represented by the image data which is divided into regions where the image can be cut and regions where the image cannot be cut is displayed on the display means.
Specifically, the displaying processing in which the range from which the image can be cut and the range from which the image cannot be cut are distinguished from each other can be performed by indicating the boundary between the two ranges using a line. As alternatives to this, only the range from which the image cannot be cut may be displayed in a monochrome tone or the saturation of the above range to be displayed may be lowered. As a result, by referring is made to the image displayed on the display means, the user is able to easily recognize the range from which an image cannot be cut. Therefore, when a portion is cut from an image which is subjected to the image processing in accordance with a change in the outline so as to be output, the user is able to easily instruct the appropriate cutting range which does not include the range from which the image cannot be cut.
A case will now be described in which image data is image data representing an image (an image projected through, for example, a lens and recorded on a recording material, such as a photographic photosensitive material) projected through a lens. Moreover, the processing means performs as the image processing in accordance with the change in the outline of the image data represented by image data at least one of a distortion aberration correction processing or the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification. In this case, the fifteenth aspect of the present invention further comprises acquiring means for acquiring information related to the characteristics of the lens. The processing means is able to perform at least one of a distortion aberration correction processing or the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification on the basis of information related to the characteristics of the lens acquired by the acquiring means.
Information about the characteristics of the lens may be information representing the characteristics of the lens itself, information indicating a correction value for performing the distortion aberration correction processing or the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification in accordance with the characteristics of the lens, information indicating the type of lens or information indicating the type of projector used for projecting the image (for example, a camera). As described above, when information relating to the characteristics of the lens, which is information indicating the type of lens or information (from which the type of lens can be determined) indicating the type of projector is acquired, the characteristics of the lens and the correction value for performing the distortion aberration correction processing or the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification in accordance with the characteristics of the lens can indirectly be determined from the acquired information.
The characteristics of a lens including the distortion aberration and the chromatic aberration of magnification of the lens are different depending on the type of lens. The processing means of the image processing device according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention corrects deterioration in the image quality caused by, for example, distortion aberration in the lens. On the basis of the information relating to the characteristics of the lens acquired by the acquiring means, the processing means determines the position of each pixel represented by the data of each pixel when the lens has no distortion aberration. Then, the processing means obtains the density level at the original position (the lattice position) by performing, for example, interpolation. Thus, the processing means is able to perform the distortion aberration correction processing (the above processing causes the position of each pixel of the image represented by image data to be changed thereby changing the outline of the image). As a result, deterioration in the image quality of the image arising from the chromatic aberration of magnification can accurately be corrected. The correction of the image quality arising from the chromatic aberration of magnification is performed by executing the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification for each color component. Thus, deterioration in the image quality of the image arising from the chromatic aberration of magnification of the lens can accurately be corrected.
Information about the characteristics of the lens can be used to perform the distortion aberration correction processing and the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification as described above. Moreover, the above information can be used to determine the position of the boundary between the range from which the image can be cut and the range from which the image can not be cut. Namely, in the image processing device according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the display control means according to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention determines the positions of the border between the range where the image can be cut and the range where the image cannot be cut on the basis of information relating to the characteristics of the lens acquired by the acquiring means.
As described above, the processing means performs the distortion aberration correction processing and the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification on the basis of information relating to the characteristics of the lens. When, on the basis of this information relating to the characteristics of the lens, the distortion aberration correction processing or the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification is performed as the image processing in accordance with the change in the outline of the image, the way in which the outline of the image represented by the image data will change can, therefore, be accurately determined. As a result, on the basis of the determination of outline of the image, the positions of the border between the range where the image can be cut and the range where the image cannot be cut can accurately be determined.
The processing means according to the present invention is not limited to perform the image processing including change in the outline of the image, such as the distortion aberration correction processing and the processing for correcting chromatic aberration of magnification. When image data is image data representing an image projected via a lens, an image processing device according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention may have a structure wherein, on the basis of a central position of an image represented by image data, a central position of a range instructed by the instructing means, and information related to the lens characteristics acquired by the acquiring means, the processing means performs at least one of: enlarging/reducing processing to enlarge or reduce an image represented by data cut out by the cutting means to a predetermined size; peripheral darkening correction processing to correct reductions in the luminosity in the edge portions of an image caused by the lens; and focal blurring correction processing to correct reductions in the sharpness of an image caused by the lens.
When the enlarging/reducing processing is performed, a so-called cropping processing in which a portion of the image is cut to enlarge or reduce the portion to the required size can be achieved. Specifically, the enlargement or the reduction of an image can be performed by making the number of pixels (the resolution) of the cut data coincide with the number of pixels (the resolution) corresponding to the output form (for example, recording on a recording material, display on a display means, storage of the image data on an information storage medium, or the like) of the image. The numbers can be made to coincide with each other by an operation of the cutting means to convert the number of pixels (the resolution) of cut data.
When the image data to be processed is image data representing an image projected through a lens having relatively low performance, (for example, a film with an attracted lens or the lens of another low cost camera) there sometimes arises the problem that the image quality deteriorates according to the performance of the lens (when above-described cropping or the like is performed, considerable deterioration in the image quality is visually recognized). In this type of above case, the marginal light-extinction correction processing or the blurred focus correction processing from among the various processings which can be performed by the image processing device according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is performed. The image quality of the image represented by data cut by the cutting means can be improved.
An eighteenth aspect of the present invention is an image processing method comprising the steps of: correcting in image data representing an image projected via a lens at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration of the image arising from an aberration in the lens in a first predetermined direction; extracting image data corresponding to an area inside an effective image region from which image voids at both ends in the first predetermined direction of the image represented by the image data have been excluded from the image data which has undergone the correction in the first predetermined direction; correcting in the extracted image data at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration of an image represented by the image data in a second predetermined direction orthogonal to the first predetermined direction; and extracting image data corresponding to an area inside an effective image region from which image voids at both ends in the second predetermined direction of the image represented by the image data have been excluded from the image data which has undergone the correction in the second predetermined direction.
The image processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention is provided to correct at least either geometrical distortion or color misregistration of an image projected via a lens and indicated by image data which has been caused by aberration of the lens in at least a first predetermined direction. When at least one of the geometrical distortion or color misregistration of the image is corrected in one direction (in the first predetermined direction in this case), the movement direction of the position of the pixel caused by the correction is also limited to one direction. Therefore, for example, the interpolation can be performed by using data of n pixels (data of pixels in a region having no 2D spread and including 1xc3x97n pixels) disposed in the one direction. Therefore, at least one of the geometrical distortion or color misregistration of the image can easily be performed. Thus, the above correction can quickly be performed.
The movement of the position of the pixels causes the outline of the image represented by the image data to be changed. When at least one of the geometrical distortion or color misregistration of the image is corrected in the first predetermined direction, the direction of change in the outline of the image is also limited to the first predetermined direction equivalent to the direction of movement of the positions of pixels. Therefore, the change in the outline of the image occurs at the two ends in the first predetermined direction of the outline of the image data represented by the image data. The image processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention extracts, from image data corrected in the first predetermined direction, image data corresponding to the effective image region from which image void portions at the two ends of the image represented by image data in the first predetermined direction has been excluded. Therefore, image data can be obtained which is free from image voids occurring in accordance with the correction of at least one of the geometrical distortion or the color misregistration of the image in the first predetermined direction. Note that the effective image region may be a rectangular region.
The image processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention is provided correct at least the geometrical distortion or color misregistration of the image represented by extracted image data corresponding to the effective image region in the second predetermined direction orthogonal to the first predetermined direction. Since the direction of movement of the positions of pixels which takes place in accordance with the correction is limited to the second predetermined direction, the above correction can quickly be performed in a simple manner. Since the second predetermined direction is orthogonal to the first predetermined direction, at least one of the geometrical distortion and color misregistration of the image is corrected in the second predetermined direction as well as in the first predetermined direction. As a result, at least one of the geometrical distortion and color misregistration of the image caused by the aberration of the lens can reliably be corrected.
The image processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention is provided to extract, from image data corrected in the second predetermined direction, image data corresponding to the effective image region from which image void portions at the two ends of the image represented by image data in the second predetermined direction have been excluded. Therefore, image data can be obtained which is free from image voids caused by the correction of at least one of the geometrical distortion and the color misregistration of the image in the second predetermined direction. Therefore, the image processing method according to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention is able to quickly correct the distortion aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. As a result, image voids in the output image can be prevented.
A nineteenth aspect of the present invention is an image processing device comprising: a correcting section in which, in image data representing an image projected via a lens, at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration of the image arising from an aberration in the lens is corrected in a single direction; extracting means for extracting image data corresponding to an area inside an effective image region from which image voids at both ends in a direction identical to the direction of the correction performed in the correcting section on the image represented by the image data have been excluded from the image data which has undergone the correction in the correcting section; and controlling means for, in image data to be processed representing an image projected via a lens, correcting in the correcting section at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration of the image arising from an aberration in the lens in a first predetermined direction; extracting by the extracting means image data corresponding to an area inside the effective image region from the corrected image data; correcting by the correcting section at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration of an image represented by the extracted image data in a second predetermined direction orthogonal to the first predetermined direction; and extracting by the extracting means image data corresponding to an area inside the effective image region from the corrected image data.
The image processing device according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention is provided to correct at least one of geometrical distortion or color misregistration of an image represented by image data to be processed in the first predetermined direction. Next, image data corresponding to the effective image region from which the image void portions at the two ends in the same direction (that is the first predetermined direction) as the above correction direction have been excluded is extracted from corrected image data. Next, at least one of the geometrical distortion or the color misregistration of the image represented by the extracted image data is corrected in the second predetermined direction orthogonal to the first predetermined direction. Next, image data corresponding to the effective image region from which the image void portions in the same direction (that is, the second predetermined direction) as the correction direction have been excluded is extracted from the corrected image data. Therefore, distortion aberration correction and the correction of chromatic aberration of magnification of image data can quickly be performed in the same way as in the eighteenth aspect of the present invention. As a result, image voids in the output image can be prevented.
The image processing device according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention has a structure in which a single correction section corrects at least one of the geometrical distortion and color misregistration in the first predetermined direction and at least one of the geometrical distortion and color misregistration in the second predetermined direction of the image represented by the image data. Therefore, the necessity of providing a plurality of correcting sections each of which corrects at least one of the geometrical distortion or color misregistration can be eliminated. Therefore, the structure of the image processing device according to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention can be simplified.
When storage means for storing image data corrected by the correcting section is provided, extraction of image data corresponding to the effective image region can be achieved by the extracting means controlling the reading so that, whenever image data stored in the storage means is read, the extracting means only reads the image data corresponding to the effective image region, equivalently to, for example, the image processing device according to the twentieth aspect of the present invention.
Moreover, the extraction of image data corresponding to the effective image region can be achieved by the extracting means controlling the storing when image data which has undergone correction by the correcting section is stored in the storage means so that only image data corresponding to the effective image region is stored in the storage means, equivalently to, for example, the image processing device according to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention. In the above case, the quantity of image data to be stored in the storage means can be reduced as compared with the structure in which reading of image data from the storage means is controlled. Therefore, the storage capacity of the storage means can be saved or the capacity of the storage means can be reduced.
A twenty-second aspect of the present invention is an image processing device, in which the correcting section, in the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, corrects at least one of geometrical distortion and color misregistration in a single direction of an image in image data, and converts the image data so that the number of pixels in the same direction as the direction of the correction is set at a fixed value, the control means controls the correcting section so that, when correction is being performed in the first predetermined direction, the number of pixels in the image data in the first predetermined direction is set at a first fixed value, and the control means controls the correcting section so that, when correction is being performed in the second predetermined direction, the number of pixels in the image data in the second predetermined direction is set at a second fixed value.
When an image is recorded on, for example, a recording material and the number of pixels of the recorded image, which are determined by the recording size and recording density of the image, is not the same as the number of pixels of image data which is used to record the image, image data must be converted to make the number of pixels of image data coincide with the number of pixels of the image to be recorded. When the conversion of image data is performed in a state in which the number of pixels of the image to be recorded is not an integer fraction of the number of pixels of image data, interpolation must be performed. The interpolation is performed equivalently to the correction of the geometrical distortion or the color misregistration so as to obtain the density value at the position of each pixel when the intervals among pixels have been changed in accordance with the number of pixels of the image to be recorded. The interpolation may also be performed when the geometrical distortion or the color misregistration is corrected, however, since the image quality deteriorates (even through the deterioration is slight) when the interpolation is performed, repetition of the interpolation processing of the same image data is not preferable.
The correcting section of the image processing device according to the twenty-second aspect of the present invention has the function of correcting in a single direction in image data at least one of the geometrical distortion or color misregistration of an image. Moreover, the correcting section has the function of converting image data such that the number of pixels in the same direction as the correction direction is set at a fixed value. Thus, the direction of movement of the positions of the pixels caused by the correction and the direction of adjustment of the number of pixels are the same. Therefore, the interpolation for the correction and the interpolation for converting the number of pixels can be unified enabling the interpolation to be completed in one operation.
When the correction in the first predetermined direction is performed, the control means controls the correcting section such that the number of pixels (or the number of pixels in the effective image region in the first predetermined direction) of image data in the first predetermined direction is set at the first fixed value. When the correction in the second predetermined direction is performed, the control means controls the correcting section such that the number of pixels (or the number of pixels in the effective image region in the second predetermined direction) of image data in the second predetermined direction is set at the second fixed value. Therefore, when the number of pixels of image data is converted in combination with the correction of at least one of the geometrical distortion or the color misregistration of the image, the conversion can be completed in two interpolation calculations. As a result, deterioration in the image quality of an output image can be prevented.
A twenty-third aspect of the present invention is an image processing device according to the fourteenth aspect, further comprising limiting means for limiting the range which can be instructed via said instructing means so as to exclude ranges where the image cannot be cut from a range instructed by said instructing means.
In the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, limiting the range which can be instructed via said instructing means can be achieved. For example, when the range instructed via said instructing means includes ranges where the image cannot be cut, limiting is achieved by informing by displaying a message on the display means or ringing a buzzer. When the range is limited by being drawn and superposed a frame representing the instructed range on the image displayed on the display means, limiting is achieved by being removed the frame or limiting drawing the frame so that the range where the image cannot be cut is not drawn.
Therefore, when an user, for example, as the range which is cut from the image, instructs the range including the region in the vicinity of the border between the range where the image can be cut and the range where the image cannot be cut, a mistake is prevented that the range including ranges where the image cannot be cut is instructed. The correct range excluding ranges where the image cannot be cut.